


Moping on the moon

by littlesprouts



Category: The Adventure Zone (Podcast)
Genre: Fluff, Gen, i guess you could categorize this as fluff?, i try my hardest to not make this cheesy?, just some bonding time between these goofs, taako is shit with feelings and so am i, taako's in this so there's some swearing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-21
Updated: 2017-07-12
Packaged: 2018-11-17 02:21:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 3,577
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11265936
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/littlesprouts/pseuds/littlesprouts
Summary: There was someone creeping around the moon base. Invisibly.That was shady as hell.Well, as for him, he was shady.





	1. Chapter 1

As pathetic as it sounded, Taako usually spent his nights bored and waiting for everyone else to wake up again. The nights were long when you're the only one of your friends who didn't need to sleep.  
He gave up trying to meditate as soon as he heard Magnus rummaging around in the kitchen around noon. The promise of freshly brewed coffee and some company normally was enough motivation to leave his bed. But not today.  
In general, Taako didn't like being alone. But today was one of these days when the mere thought of having to see or worse, interact with anyone made him want to cast Disintegrate on himself.  
So he just continued to lay there in the half-dark feeling bad, applying The Taako Method of Dealing With Shit, which was: not at fucking all.

Some time later there was a knock on his door.  
“Taako?” he heard Magnus' voice through the wood.  
“Go away, I'm dead.” He burrowed his face deeper in the mountain of pillows.

He had planned on staying in his room all day but there's only so many times one can read old issues of fantasy Cosmo before one's bored out of one's brains.  
He closed the magazine on a page that promised ' _1001 potions to find out if he's into you! (and equally as many to make sure he is)_ ' and threw it across the room. It smacked against the wall and promptly joined the mess on the floor.  
He let himself slide off the mattress onto the wooden planks and lay there for a change. He tried draping his arm over his eyes while groaning for a while but it didn't help.

 _Gods_ , he was bored.

He didn't know what time it was but it felt like he had been cooped up in here for at least a week now. Despite having chosen this arrangement himself he felt trapped. He was starting to get antsy. It was warm in his room and the air suddenly felt stale. How did the air conditioning on the base even work? Could the air ever be used up? Was it possible to suffocate in here? Was he suffocating right now? If he was dying it definitively wasn't fast enough.

Finally Taako ended up doing what he was fucking stellar at: noping out of the situation.  
He considered for a brief moment to get dressed out of the crumpled boxers and crop top he had been wearing for... well, quite some time now but decided against it. He'd rather burn a spell slot.  
So he cast Greater Invisibility on himself. There, problem fucking solved.  
Plus this really minimized the chances of anyone trying to spark up a conversation with him.  
He put one (invisible) long ear on his door and listened intently – the common room all their private rooms lead into seemed to be empty. Quietly he unlocked the door and stuck his head out – all clear.  
He grabbed the umbrastaff leaning on the wall and in the blink of an eye he had crossed the shared area and snuck outside.

He was still in a bad mood but it was better to suffer outside. It was evening and there weren't many bureau members mulling around. Probably at dinner, he reckoned.  
The moon base wasn't as big as the real moon, but it was big enough to walk around for about an hour without passing the same path twice.  
If one walked slow.  
_Very_ slow.  
Gods, he needed some time planetside again.

He passed the dome housing the kitchen and mess hall for the fourth time. His mood hadn't lifted considerably but he was just deciding to head back to the dorm when he heard an unsettling sound.  
Small muffled noises.  
His first reflex was cowardice – he lifted the umbra staff to cast Greater Invisibility on himself, then remembered with relief he already had.  
His second reflex was to run; to continue his long tradition of not getting involved.

There's a shaky breath. Coming from somewhere close to his position.  
Oh _damn it all to hell._  
He still hadn't chosen _not_ to run. He's just postponed it. He still very much wanted to run.  
Despite this he moved a little closer to the sound, peering around the slightly curved surface of the dome he's next to.  
He's thankful the glass didn't reflect his facial expression right now, he had a feeling he wouldn't like what he'd see. Oddly enough there's also no reflection of anything - _anyone_ – else.  
There's nothing there  
Taako furrowed his brow. Carefully he took a step further – but still nothing.  
_Okay, maybe whatever or whoever that was went away,_ he tried to convince himself.  
But then he heard a sharp exhale again, very close this time. Coming from seemingly nowhere.  
Hesitantly he took another step forward to peer farther around the dome - and his foot got caught somewhere, making him stumble over nothing, well, clearly _something_ with a surprised curse.  
Followed by a small cry near his foot.  
Taako failed to regain his balance and fell -very slowly and not a tiny bit graceful- onto his butt.  
Honestly, fuck this day.  
The only good thing was that he's still invisible, thank pan nobody saw -  
\- wait a minute.  
He narrowed his eyes, staring at the spot of thin air in front of him.

There was someone creeping around the moon base. Invisibly.  
That was shady as hell.  
Well, as for him, he _was_ shady.

  
He was not in the mood to deal with this.

'Hello?' he called out, trying to convince himself that his voice sounded confident and not even the tiniest bit shaky.  
There was a caught breath and then – silence.  
He grabbed for his umbrastaff, which he had dropped during his fall.  
'Listen compadre, you better show yourself or I'll magic-missile your ass!'

Inches before him a shape flickered into existence.  
There was a face smeared with tears about his level, since they were crouching on the ground, arms wrapped around their knees.  
Wide-open watery eyes behind thin-rimmed glasses were staring at him in fear.  
'P-please don't, Sir!'

 


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The boy detective stared at him, mouth agape.  
> Taako put a manicured finger under his chin and closed it for him.
> 
>  
> 
> chapter 2! feat. crying angus and wildly uncomfortable taako

“Holy hell Ango.”  
“I'm s-sor-ry, Sir”  
“I nearly blasted you there.”  
“S-sorry...” Angus hiccuped.  
Taako was out of his depth. He knew he should react to the crying child in front of him in a way that didn't include making them apologize for him almost killing them but oh well it has been a shitty and very long day. He almost hoped he had stumbled over an intruder on the moon base instead of into whatever situation this was gonna play out as. A situation he was clearly not equipped to deal with and wanted out of, that's for sure.  
He still wanted to run and he almost did.  
Then another sob escaped Angus' mouth and he pressed his hand over it, appalled.  
The tears kept coming and Taako saw Angus' hands shaking as he pulled a crumpled-up handkerchief out of his pocket.  
He wanted to run but he didn't.  
It wasn't so much that there was a child crying; that happened all the damn time.  
But here was a child crying _silently._  
He wasn't around children too often _(and he thanked Pan for it)_ but from his memory children were loud criers. Which was only a logical, evolutionary thing. Sure, it was annoying but it made sense for them to demand help in a way that was attracting attention.  
Angus however was hiding his breakdown.  
Like he didn't want help. Or maybe like he didn't expect help.

Something inside Taako's gut twisted uncomfortably.

“Uhm. Hey Ango?”  
Angus blew his nose.  
“Y-Yes?” his voice sounded so, so small. Shit.  
“How come you know how to cast Invisibility? We barely moved past cantrips in your lessons.”  
If possible Angus looked even worse at this.  
“I've been reading a-ahead” he gave back quietly, looking at his shoes.  
Goddamn, this kid was a fast learner.  
'Holy hell, Ango.' Taako whistled through his teeth.  
Angus stared to the ground so hard Taako thought maybe he's trying to tie his laces with his mind. But instead the boy started apalogizing.  
'It was n-never my intention -I didn't mean to criticise your teaching--'  
'Ango-'  
'I r-really enjoy our sessions, please don't-'  
'Angus.'  
'And I o-only read ahe-ahead a little! I p-promise-'  
'Angus, do you care about the environment at all?'  
'Wh-yes?' Angus looked up at this, puzzled and obviously still feeling guilty.  
'Of c-course I do, I just don't underst-'  
'Then maybe consider shutting your mouth because right now there's only garbage coming out of it.'

The boy detective stared at him, mouth agape.  
Taako put a manicured finger under his chin and closed it for him.

'Listen buddy - Ango, this is impressive. Consider me impressed.'  
Angus continued to stare at him with his comically big, painfully bright little boy eyes which made Taako shift uncomfortably.  
Then he started crying again.  
Oh Jeezy Creezy. No, _no._  
'Th-thank you Sir! This really means a lot to me!' Angus beamed at him while tears ran down his puffy cheeks.  
'Yeah, yeah no big but _please,_ geez, stop the waterworks, would you?' he hurried to say while getting up and brushing the dust off his boxers.  
Angus nodded eagerly and took off his glasses to wipe his eyes.  
Oh boy, oh man. What had he gotten himself into. This was a prime example why he didn't _do_ people. People were such a _mess_ and Taako was already a great big bunch of messes piled on top of each other, seasoned with tasty sprinkles of panic and _this was just too much._  
Time to get outta here.  
Out of the incredible goodness of his wizardly heart (and _maybe_ also some impatience to end this situation) he decided to help Angus to his feet.  
'Come on now bucko – here' and he extended an arm in his direction.  
'What?' Angus looked confused.  
'Take. My hand.' Taako explained and waved it before his face impatiently.  
'...Sir you are still invisible.'  
'Right.' he let his arm fall to his side.  
'Well, get up then.'

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> a short chapter this time, i took lotsa stuff out bc it was too cheesy???  
> like, this is not a plate of nachos at a wrestling game
> 
> anyway! if you have something to say PLEASE do leave a comment! i am mainly fuelled by stranger's validation  
> also i rushed to finish this before the pizza arrived so there might be some grammar mistakes you're more than welcome to point out
> 
> as always  
> love you bunches and stay tuned for more awkwardness


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> get ready for more crying and awkwardness i guess!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> tfw you were totes ready to abandon your boy lol

Angus scrambled to his feet, looking expectantly at the space where he suspected Taako to be.  
'Where are we going, Sir?' he asked.  
Taako who had started walking into the direction of the dorm stopped in his tracks.  
'We?' he turned back towards Angus.  
'Hombre, there ain't no 'we'. I don't care what you do now but Taako's gonna head back to his fancy-ass four-poster and catch some Z's.' He turned around again, waving an invisible hand.  
'Laterz.'  
He got as far as 5 steps. Then a tiny 'Oh.' from Angus made him turn around a second time.  
Taako got ready for a speech defending his Taako-time and how he wasn't a goddamn babysitter – but a look at the boy made the words die in his throat.  
Angus' shoulders slumped down again and he looked even tinier than he already was. The tears on his face were barely dry and it looked like there were new ones on the way. He rubbed at his eyes with his fists.  
Ah _damn it all to hell._

'Uhh...why don't you go to bed as well, Agnes?' he tried to make his voice sound sympathetic but it turned out the same as always, just an octave higher.  
Angus just shook his head decidedly.  
'I...I haven't slept well lately.'  
  
This wasn't Taako's problem. This didn't concern him. What did he care about this boy? He didn't. At all.  
Which was why his next move didn't make any sense.  
'Listen, uhm. Do you...we have a couch, you know.'  
Angus looked up from his shoes frowning, trying to make sense of Taako's words.  
'Like. Uhm. You could crash there? If you wanted? On the couch, I mean.' This boy had no business making him this flustered. Curse this child.  
Angus' eyes grew as big as dinner plates.  
'Really?' he gasped.  
Oh no. Abort mission, _abort mission._  
'Don't make a scene or I'll revoke the offer, capiche?'  
'Yes Sir! Sorry Sir!'  
'And for the love of Pan, stop apologizing for everything.'  
'Sor- I mean, understood!'

They set off towards the dorm together, Taako regretting his decision more with every step. And every time Angus bumped into him.  
After the twelfth time Taako abruptly turned around to snap at him. Angus promptly bumped into his chest.  
'Jesus Ango, stop running into me!'  
'I'm sorry Sir, but it's really very hard following someone who's invisible! Also sorry for apologizing again.'  
This boy would be the death of him.  
'Well then turn invisible yourself, boy detective!'  
Angus, eager to please as always, didn't hesitate. Tapping his temple with the tip of his wand he disappeared.  
'And now, Sir?' came a zealous but now also tired-sounding voice from seemingly nowhere.  
'Oh.'  
Right. Greater Invisibility wasn't like Blink. You were still in the same plane. Just invisible. To everyone. Including to people who were invisible themselves.  
Fuck.  
'Uhhhm, good. Now turn visible again.'  
A second later Angus stood before him again, frowning.  
'Sir, maybe I should mention that I'm almost out of spell slots and you already knew I could do the spell so I'm not sure I underst-'  
'Got one more spell slot?' Taako interrupted him.  
'The last one, Sir.'  
'Right.'  
He grabbed Angus hand. Desperate measures and so on.  
'Turn invisible again.'  
Angus surprised and delighted face disappeared again.  
'Let's go.' Taako said gruffly and started walking again, pulling Angus with him.  
  
At least no one could see them. He had a reputation as an asshole with absolute zero feelings to uphold and being seen holding hands with a child who looked at him like he hung the fake moon surely would damage that.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> don't get me wrong, i LOVED the stolen century but I MISS MY BOY ANGO SO MUCH  
> four more days until the first part of the finale haha kill me ded pls
> 
> AS ALWAYS  
> if you have a spare 15 seconds please PLEASE leave a comment! 
> 
> LOVE YOU BABES & see you the next update (i'll try to finish this thing before the finale -fingers crossed!) ♥


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> boy i hope none of you are lactose-intolerant bc imma hit you with some serious cheesiness in this final chapter

They made their way to the reclaimer's suite without talking.  
Taako just hoped Magnus and Merle had already passed out. He didn't want to explain to them why he brought Angus and why he was gonna sleep on their couch. Taako didn't even know the answer to these questions himself.  
They reached the door to the suite and Taako patted his shorts for his keys.  
Boxershorts rarely had pockets. This pair sure didn't.  
He couldn't fight the feeling one of the gods had it out for him.  
He closed his eyes. Deeeep breaths, Taako. Inhale, exhale. Inhale, exh-  
'Taako, Sir-ouch, ehrm, you're hurting my hand.'  
'Shit, sorry.'  
'It's alright.' Angus yawned.  
'Sir, why aren't we going in?' Taako could hear the fear in his voice; the boy was seriously afraid he changed his mind about the couch.  
Kid must've had some serious nightmares.  
His anger evaporated and a grin made its way onto his face as he was getting an idea.  
'Ango, you up for a game of ding-dong-ditch?'

Angus didn't know the game - which showed what a deprived childhood this nerd had had up until now – but for once Taako was more than glad to help. There wasn't a doorbell but knocking would also work.  
Taako's fist met the wood in a salve of knocks – if his teammates had been asleep they sure weren't anymore now. He kept going until he heard frantic footsteps from inside.  
He put his finger to his lips and turned to Angus. Who was, of course, invisible. As was he. Geez, Taako. Get your shit together.  
So he squeezed Angus' hand lightly, whispering  
'Quiet now.'  
A heartbeat later the door was ripped open by a panting Magnus in nothing but boxers. They were yellow and had little paw prints on them and Taako had to bite his tongue to keep himself from bursting out laughing. He made a mental note to tease Magnus about it later. Can't let an opportunity like this slide.  
Magnus looked around hecticly.  
'Hello?' He stepped outside, narrowing his eyes to see better in the half-light.  
It would have been easy for them to slip inside now but Taako intended to milk this cow some more.  
'Hellooo?' Magnus shouted again. He peered around one last time before huffing and reluctantly closing the door.  
Taako waited for two minutes before knocking again.  
'Okay Angus, when there's an opening you slip inside. Wait for me in front of my room.'  
'But I don't know which room is yours.'  
'It's the one with the golden star on it that says 'Taako' in cursive. Easy. Now...!'  
Not a second later Magnus opened the door again.  
'Hey, what the heck man.'  
Taako let go of Angus' hand and he felt him brush past him.  
'Is this a joke?' Magnus said and frowned. Taako didn't answer. It was kinda obvious, he thought.  
After checking behind the door Magnus quickly gave up this time and shuffled back inside. Guy was wearing socks. Who the heck wears socks to bed? Taako shook his invisible head. The door clicked shut.  
Well, three's a charm!  
This time Taako had to knock for a considerably long time before his teammate came rushing out again.  
'Hey, so I'm trying to sleep? This isn't even funny.'  
I beg to differ, Taako thought, scurrying past him.

'Angus?' he whispered.  
Magnus was still outside, giving a lecture on how this was a childish game and weren't they all adults here on the moonbase and bla bla blaa.  
'Here, Sir.' Taako's hand found his shoulder. He opened the door to his room and pushed Angus inside. Closing the door just before Magnus came back inside the common area, muttering to himself.  
In the safety of his own space Taako turned visible again and Angus followed his lead. His form appeared in the middle of the room, looking tired and insecure.  
Taako realised he hadn't planned any further than this.  
Angus tried to hide a yawn behind his hand.  
'Alright bucko, the couch is cancelled. Let's get you into bed.' With a snap of his fingers the covers slid back and the armada of pillows strewn all over returned to the head of the bed.  
'In you hop!' he said and slumped down on he loveseat by his drawer, fishing a fantasy Cosmo off the floor.  
Angus' gaze wandered shyly from Taako to the bed and back again before hesitantly getting out of his shoes. He looked around for a moment, trying to find some uncluttered surface to put his tiny bowtie and suspenders before depositing them down on the floor next to a half-eaten Reese's cup. He climbed into the bed in shorts and dress shirt (and socks, Taako noticed bewildered (and let's be honest here, slightly disgusted)) and tucked himself in.  
Taako's bed was laughably big. It was enormous. Putting every king-sized bed to shame. It was an emperor-sized bed. Nevertheless Angus was curled up on the edge of the mattress.  
It was quiet for a few minutes, the silence interrupted only by the turning of the pages of Taako's magazine.  
Then there was a snuffle from the bed.  
And Taako went trough the five stages of grief in 0.69 seconds.

Was it too late to run? It was probably too late to run.  
...or was it? Yes. Unfortunately yes. There was no way to make this whole situation less of a mess so Taako decided to do what seemed to be the most logical thing to his simple idiot wizard brain. He canonballed right into it.  
Rising to his feet and sighing dramatically he threw the magazine to the floor once more. It was an old issue anyway, one of the red boots from the fashion spread inside it lay under a heap of clothes next to Taako's feet right now.  
He climbed onto the bed, all the way up until his back was resting against the headpiece. He moved a few small mountains of pillows out of the way and took a deep breath.  
'Uhm. Hey.'  
The lump under the blankets that was Angus stiffened.  
'Are you crying again?'  
Tactfulness 101, taught by Taako. Taaktfulness. He should write a book. Well, another one.  
'N-no.' Angus sobbed.  
Taako sighed and resigned himself to his fate.  
Then he mage-handed Angus to his side.  
The boy squeaked terrified as he was pulled from under the covers and crashed into Taako, momentarily knocking the wind out of both of them.  
_Messy!_  Taako thought, struggling to get some air back into his lungs.   
Suppressing a pained groan he put his arm equal parts tentatively and awkwardly around Angus, pressing him to his side in a way that hopefully came across as reassuring.  
After the initial shock Angus relaxed a bit and Taako let out a breath he didn't know he had been holding.  
Angus was still snuffeling though so Taako conjured some tissues.  
'Thank you, Sir.' the boy whispered as he took them from him, sounding awfully frail and tired.  
Something dangerously close to giving a damn stirred in Taako's chest.  
'Uhm.'  
Angus blew his nose.  
'Wanna...talk about it?'  
The child shook his head.  
_Oh thank god._  
'I just want to sit here, if that's okay.' he said sniffly.  
'Sure thing, Agnes.'  
'It's Angus.' he corrected Taako and closed his eyes.  
'What a stupid name.'  
Angus let out a shaky breath but his lips curled into a smile and the next moment he was fast asleep.  
Taako took off the boy's glasses and put them on a pillow on the far side of the bed. Without them Angus looked more his age.  
He sat there, listening to the child's even breathing and fighting the thing that intruded his ribcage.  
Angus moved in his sleep, his head sunk against Taako's side.  
Well, _fuck._

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I DID IT!!! I FINISHED A THING OMG

**Author's Note:**

> Oooh folks, my first ever taz-anything!  
> i love all the characters but gosh golly do i find them hard to grasp  
> also, as always, english is not my first language so please don't hesitate to correct me if you find any mistakes
> 
> please leave me a note and tell me what you think!  
> it's rEALLY appreciated
> 
> bless the mcelboys and all you who read this  
> ♥


End file.
